Holidays in Dubai: what to see and practical tips

I know a lot of people who say Dubai is boring, there is nothing worth even a day’s time. And they stare at me in incomprehension that I’ve been there six times and spent over two months in total. And then I have a few friends who live in Dubai, they love their life there and I’m kind of jealous.

The truth is that Dubai is different. And it may indeed be the most controversial tourist destination I know. I love going on a city trip, seeing the city centre and the main sights, walking 20 kilometres in a day, soaking up the atmosphere. That’s exactly what Dubai is not. While there are a lot of (mostly modern) landmarks in Dubai, they’re pretty far apart. I even found myself counting the mall among the sightseeing activities in Dubai, so I guess that’s about it.

Dubai is racing to the extremes, setting one world record after another. Sometimes it feels a little out of touch with reality. But it’s not as bad as it sounds. I fell in love with Dubai perhaps because of how different it is.

Where to stay in Dubai

I always liked the Dubai Marina and JLT (Jumeirah Lake Towers) area. There are lots of great restaurants, lakes, tranquility and some greenery. The cheapest accommodation with cheap restaurants around are in Bur Dubai, Sutwa and Deira.

If you don’t have that much time for Dubai and want to be close to the sights, Downtown Dubai is the place to stay. If you want to go big, stay at a hotel in Atlantis or Burj Al Arab.

Tickets and experiences in Dubai

In Dubai, it pays to buy tickets online in advance – for availability and better planning.

• Burj Khalifa – tickets for the 124th and 125th floors – they are bought for a specific hour, it is good to have them in advance so that they are not already sold out on the date of your visit.
• HOHO bus – a full day sightseeing tour, may come in handy given the distances in Dubai.
• Aquaventure Waterpark in Atlantis.
• Desert safari – an experience with dinner and ATVs – if you want an out-of-town experience.

What to see in Dubai

A lot of people say “there is nothing in Dubai”. And they barely spend two days here. Dubai may not be for everyone, but there’s plenty to see and experience. And most importantly, new buildings are going up in Dubai at such a rate that maybe by the time I finish this article, something new will be under construction again!

Burj Khalifa

The most famous of Dubai’s “best”. The world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. It’s 828 metres high. It has a beautiful view far and wide across Dubai. The view is spectacular in both light and dark, so the perfect time to visit is before sunset, enjoy the twilight, light up Dubai and then back down. Reservations need to be made in advance for the exact time (when choosing a time, I suggest you allow for the fact that even getting up there takes some time).

The At the Top observation deck is on the 124th floor, you take a lightning-fast elevator up to the top and a video about the history of the tower is projected on the walls.

Dubai Fountain

The fountain in front of Dubai Mall is one of my favourite places, I went to see it countless times. Most days it’s just a body of water without a fountain, but it’s still a very nice place. The fountain starts at 1pm and 1.30pm (1.30pm and 2pm on Fridays), then in the evening after sunset every half hour until 11pm.

The dancing fountain is accompanied by music and a light show in the evening. The music also varies, sometimes it is Arabic music, sometimes a classical sonata and sometimes a modern hit. It’s a good idea to arrive slightly early, there’s always a crowd.

Next to the fountain is the Souk, where you can find souvenirs and traditional goods from the Persian Gulf. Even if you don’t want to shop, it’s a nice place in itself.

Dubai Mall

Yes, I count the mall among Dubai’s attractions. It is, and we don’t have a mall like it here. And since you walk through it when you go to the Burj Khalifa and stand in front of it looking at the fountain, you’re already there anyway, so why not take advantage of it. There are 1,200 shops and many world-class brands, 150 restaurants, an ice rink, an indoor waterfall and also the famous aquarium and underwater world.

All three of the above attractions are directly accessible by metro, the station is cleverly named Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall. Be warned, it will take a good 20 minutes or more to get from the metro (although there are moving lanes) and weave through the mall before you get to the Burj Khalifa or the fountain, plan with reserve.

Palm Jumeirah

The world’s largest man-made island and Dubai’s most luxurious residential area is shaped like a 5km-long palm leaf. Where can you see the Palm from?

• Palma is a huge cluster of houses, so you don’t see the interesting stuff when you’re inside. To get the full view, you need to be very high up, ideally in the air above Palma, on arrival or departure or from a sightseeing helicopter flight. Dubai is one of those cities that a helicopter flight over makes a lot of sense to me because it’s really beautiful from above.
• You can also see them from the Burj Khalifa, as far as is clear. The Palm is quite far from here, though, so this view is far from perfect.
• From the tall buildings in and aroundPalma. You sleep on the edge of Palma so you can see the whole thing in one direction. So either from Atlantis if you buy a room there or from the end of Palma towards the interior.

Atlantis – The Palm

Atlantis is a huge hotel at the end of a man-made palm tree-shaped town in the sea (yes, it’s the largest man-made island in the world). Aside from the building itself, people go there to see the aquarium and water park. And there’s also Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen restaurant.

You can get there by monorail, which is an experience in itself, because the elevated track runs right through the middle of the palm tree. However, it is true that you can’t see the Palm from the Palm. There’s also no view at Atlantis (unless you have a view from your hotel room). The monorail costs 20 AED one way (or 30 round trip) and takes about 10 minutes to get there. The station “at the beginning of the Palm” is a short walk from the Palm Jumeirah tram stop.

Burj Al Arab

Another famous landmark of Dubai. A seven-star hotel built on its own artificial island. It’s shaped like the sail of a sailboat and was designed as a symbol of Dubai. There are nice views of the Burj Al Arab from Madinat Jumeirah, from the monorail on the Palm towards Atlantis and really close up from the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. And of course from the sea.

If you want to look inside, you can’t just walk in, you need a reservation. It doesn’t have to be a hotel room, just a restaurant for a coffee. I haven’t had the most expensive coffee of my life yet, but I’ll definitely do it one day. There are a total of 6 restaurants in Burj Al Arab. Another way to get there is a guided tour.

Madinat Jumeirah

One of my favourite places in Dubai. It’s a resort between the Palm and the Burj Al Arab that was designed as an Arab village. There’s a canal with several bridges that you can ride over on traditional wooden abra boats, lots of shops and restaurants. At Christmas there are markets. And through the palm trees and over the bridges you have a beautiful view of the Burj Al Arab, which is connected to the sea floor by a tunnel.

Deira – Old Town

Deira is one of the oldest parts of the city. It is located on the northern shore of Dubai Creek and features traditional markets, museums and historical sites. Deira can be reached by metro (transferring to the Green Line), the station in the historic Al Fahidi district is Al Ghubaiba.

To cross to the other side of the bay (Dubai Creek), wooden abra boats are used, the cruise itself is an experience. The trip costs 1 AED (and come to think of it, it may be the only place in Dubai where I had to pull out cash). The boats run all day, one after the other. It’s from Dubai Old Souq Marine to Deira Old Souq Marine (the latter is practically right in front of the gold and spice markets).

• Herritage Village – reconstructed old Arab village.
• Dubai Museum – is in the oldest building in Dubai, the Al Fahidi Fort dating back to 1787. It is dedicated to the history and culture of Dubai and the transformation of the original fishing village into the modern metropolis it is today. Admission is AED 3, so it’s worth a peek even for those who aren’t big on history and museums.
• Gold Souk – gold and gold jewellery market. Spice souk – spice market. Both are lovely, but there are already those classic Arabic market people who try to persuade you to enter the shop at any cost, smell the spices, try on a bracelet, that sort of thing.

Dubai Marina

A modern part of Dubai on the Gulf Coast. There are tall skyscrapers and especially a marina, one of the largest in the world, as it should be.

• The Walk – a promenade along the sea with shops and restaurants.
• JBR Beach – beach.
• Dubai Marina Walk – a 7 kilometre long promenade along the water if you’re looking for a nice long walk.

Dubai Marina also offers adventure and sightseeing cruises on yachts or speedboats. You can also take a boat from here all the way to Deira instead of taking the boring metro.

Dubai Frame

Frame. I experienced this one while it was still under construction, it’s only been here since 2018. The whole building looks like a picture frame. In its upper horizontal part is a view of Dubai with a glass floor. It’s at 150 meters and walking on it and looking down gave me quite a hard time. But don’t worry, only the middle part of the floor is glass, you don’t have to walk on it, the rest is normal. You can see the Burj Khalifa, the Burj Al Arab and the Palm Jumeirah.

Nearby metro is Al Jafiliya station, you can walk through the nice Zabeel park (entrance to this is 5 AED, works on NOL card, like the metro).

Mall of the Emirates

I’ll mention one more mall. Apart from a lot of shops and restaurants, it is interesting mainly because there is Ski Dubai, a ski area where you can ski on 5 slopes, the longest of which is 400 meters long, while out there it is to die for.

Dubai Miracle Garden

Miracle Garden is a little further away from the centre of Dubai, but if you have more time and a weakness for flowers, it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon. The flowers are arranged in a variety of patterns and formations, from simple hearts and peacocks to mills, houses and entire towns. It’s probably worth throwing in a warning that it’s pretty kitsch at the same time. It’s interesting, but I don’t quite class it as a must-see activity in Dubai unless you’re a pronounced lover of flowers (and kitsch).

More experiences in Dubai

Camel racing in Al Marmoum

It’s not the main big Dubai races, but it was a great experience. The races are at Al Marmoum every Friday and Saturday, always from 7am and then from 2pm, all season (September – April). When we arrived at the place, it looked like there might not be any horse racing. The car park was empty, the grandstand too. But suddenly we were in the place where the camels are saddled (if that’s what they call it) and soon we were watching the racing, even from the bridge over the starting line.

Jeep trip to the desert dunes

In Dubai, there are plenty of offers from travel agencies with trips to the desert. I’m lucky enough to have friends who live in Dubai and have their own jeeps, so we’ve taken such a trip several times and in all its glory, with a long drive through the dunes including a sunset and an evening barbecue in the desert.

From Dubai to Abu Dhabi

There is a comfortable bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, the journey takes less than two hours and the trip is definitely worth it. You can see the Grand Mosque, the Royal Palace, Corniche beach, Etihad Towers or the man-made Yas Island, where Ferrari World is.

Dubai luxury

If you want a taste of luxury somewhere, Dubai has plenty to offer.

Aura Skypool

I tried out this 360° infinity pool at 200 metres on my last visit. Yes, it’s the highest infinity pool in the world. On the 50th floor of the Palm Tower on the Palm Jumeirah. You can get here by taking the monorail to Atlantis, just get off at Al Nakheel station. The entrance is from the St. Regis Hotel – from the metro station I walked through the mall of the same name, which has a first floor passageway to the hotel lobby, which I sort of walked out of, and right at the exit is the Aura Skypool reception. You need to have a reservation, I couldn’t make one online, so I went on the blind and it worked out. Entry is always for the full time slot (6-9, 10-14, 15-19) and you need to arrive early (leave at any time).

I chose the late afternoon slot. Prices vary depending on how good a lounger and location you want. Without a reservation, I was left with, and I quote, “unfortunately only a seat at the bar” (well, what the heck, I was in the pool most of the time anyway, and it was the cheapest). The pool runs in a circle around the center where the bar and loungers are. You can see in all directions from there, and you have the Palm below you with a great view of Atlantis.

What to see in Dubai in one day / Stopover in Dubai

If you have a layover in Dubai before your next flight and have a few hours to spare, make the most of it and check out the city. To get out of the airport, you have to go through immigration. You’ll get a free visa on arrival as well as a SIM card. Then you can head into the city, a taxi will cost around 600 CZK, if you are in terminal 1 or 3 and heading somewhere with a metro it will be cheaper and not much slower. What can be done in 6 hours or more?

• For sightseeing and shopping: the Burj Khalifa + Dubai Fountain + Madinat Jumeirah Souk + Dubai Mall. If you want to sightsee at the Burj Khalifa, make reservations ahead of time and make it the first item on your agenda to ensure you can enjoy the sightseeing. Have a good meal at Dubai Mall, maybe do some shopping.
• To the sea: Dubai Marina + The Walk. There are lots of great restaurants on the promenade by the beach.

What to taste in Dubai

In Dubai, you’ll find food from literally all over the world. From the famous American chains, through European and Asian cuisines to Arabic ones. In general, I have always enjoyed Egyptian, Lebanese, Iranian and Indian establishments, but also the American Shake Shack.

From the region’s cuisine, falafel (fried chickpea balls), hummus (chickpea paste with tahini) and baba ganoush (roasted eggplant paste) are ubiquitous. Popular here is shawarma, slices of meat (chicken, beef or lamb) wrapped together with sauces and vegetables in a pancake.

What is not common here is alcohol (in the hotel, yes, but not in the shops) and pork (it is sold in a special section in the shops).

Transportation around Dubai

Dubai is not ideal for hiking. You will have to use some form of motorised transport here. Dubai is vast, and the various tourist spots are many kilometres apart (and it’s often hot and the sun is direct). So it’s a good idea to plan in advance what you want to see and then use the most convenient transport.

Dubai Metro

For longer distances, the metro is definitely a staple, and although taxi rides are much more common in Dubai than here, the metro will get you to all the main places. There is an overground in Dubai, which by the way is also a nice view of the city. To ride the metro, you need a NOL credit card (card), which you load with money and get charged each time you go through the turnstile (or each time you get off). The NOL card also works for buses, trams, water buses and perhaps some car parks. You can get gold class (more expensive, first subway car, better seats, emptier), red (if you really only need a few rides, single rides are a bit more expensive) or silver. Silver seems like the best option to me, it costs 25 AED (19 of which is a loaded credit). You can charge more at any metro station at the machine or at the window. Depending on the zones you pass through, a ride costs AED 3 – 7.5 (most often you pay 5).

A lot of people buy the Gold class as a tourist attraction. From the first carriage (or the last, depending on which direction you go) you have a really nice view of the passage through the city, you can see the skyscrapers and of course the Burj Khalifa. But the price is double that of the Silver, you have no guarantee that you’ll get to the front window (room for about 3 people), nor that you’ll sit down, and you can’t see nicely from the side windows of any other car either.

By the way, if you are a woman, the situation is even different. At the other end of the train, there is a space for women only (even with children). It’s more crowded than in Gold class, but you can always get to the view somehow. If you’re a man, watch out, the fine for being in the women-only compartment is AED 100.

The Dubai Metro is fully automated and driverless.

Taxis and taxi apps

I already mentioned taxis. If you’re staying in a hotel, there’s always one. If you’re in any touristy place, somewhere where there are restaurants, at the subway exit, almost everywhere taxis are constantly stopping or passing by and you just have to wave. If you’re somewhere where that wouldn’t work, you can order a cab through the Careem app. I’ve primarily ordered through Careem every time, you order food through it too. If you don’t feel like installing Careem, there’s also Uber, which you probably know from the Czech Republic, but it’s a little bit more expensive.

When to go to Dubai

I’ve been to Dubai three times in the run up to Christmas and twice of those were on Christmas Eve. Don’t be fooled, the Emirates may be a Muslim country, but Dubai is very multicultural, with people from all over the world living and working here, of all different religions. A trip to Dubai will allow you to escape the pre-Christmas rush and the cold weather, but you won’t be able to avoid the Christmas decorations, you’ll see lots of Christmas trees and Christmas falafel (or other, for us unusual, Christmas Eve food) will be brought to you by a waiter in a red cap. And if you’re craving the Christmas atmosphere even more, you can also go to the “classic” Christmas markets and have a mulled wine.

Weather in Dubai

I’ve always been there in winter (November, December, January), when it’s just warm enough, in the evening you can appreciate a light sweater. March and April is such a pronounced summer weather. In the summer it’s hot there (well over 40 °C), which can only be spent outdoors in the water, and I’m not too keen on that. May to September doesn’t make any sense for me, it will still be 35 in October.

Dubai during Ramadan

Tourists are sometimes apprehensive about going to Dubai during Ramadan. This is a holiday that lasts about a month and because it relies on the Islamic calendar, it is different every year. It’s a fasting period where Muslims don’t eat or drink from morning to evening prayers, so they live outside until after dark. But Dubai is a multicultural city, so that doesn’t mean at all that restaurants will be closed during the day and you’ll be starving. As a tourist moving around the tourist attractions, you probably won’t even notice.

• 2026: 18 February – 19 March
• 2027: 8 February – 9 March
• 2028: 28 January – 26 February
• 2029: 16 January – 14 February
• 2030: 6 January – 4 February

Practical information

• The time in Dubai is advanced 3 hours on standard time. Daylight saving time in Dubai is only 2 hours more than here.
• How do I make arrangements in Dubai? English. Arabic is the official language, but in real life most of the people living here are foreigners and speak English.
• In Dubai, they have other sockets that you need a G-type plug for. The same ones are used in the UK. So don’t forget to pack an adaptor for the socket.
• Alcohol is not normally sold in shops in Dubai. Alcoholic drinks are normally sold in hotel bars. Alternatively, you can bring alcohol to Dubai, up to a maximum of 4 litres per person.
• Clothes even for normal women. Except in old Dubai, in Deira, I’d cover my shoulders and knees.

Where is Dubai

Dubai is located in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, on the western coast of the Persian Gulf, in the northern part of the United Arab Emirates. It is bordered to the northeast by the Emirate of Sharjah, and to the south by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. By air from the Czech Republic it is about 6 hours away.

Dubai is on the edge of the Rub al-Khali desert, one of the largest sandy deserts in the world. Near Dubai, the Al-Hajar Mountains begin in the east, forming a natural boundary between the coastal area and the inland desert. It is at approximately the same latitude as Hurghada in Egypt.

Dubai’s strategic location at the crossroads between Asia, Europe and Africa makes it an important hub for international trade.

How to get to Dubai

Dubai International Airport has 3 terminals. Low-cost airlines (Smartwings, FlyDubai) arrive at Terminal 2, Emirates at Terminal 3. This is important because Terminal 1 and 3 are served by metro, Terminal 2 is not.

Arrival in Dubai

I’m not one of those people who wants a window seat on a plane. Most of the time I can’t make out anything decent from the plane even in Prague. That’s a bit different in seaside resorts, and I’d describe Dubai as a city where the view from the window on the flight is absolutely worth it. You’ll see both Dubai’s main landmark, the Burj Khalifa tower, and the Palm, which let’s be honest, offers the most beautiful view from the air. As well as The World Project, a cluster of man-made islands representing the continents, about 4 kilometres off the coast.

How to get from the airport to downtown Dubai

If you are arriving at night or at Terminal Two, the ideal way to get from the airport is by taxi. Taxis are cheap in Dubai, however Dubai is huge and the airport is far from the city centre. If you’re staying somewhere around the Palm or Dubai Marina, the journey will cost you around 100 to 130 dirhams (AED). Be warned, that’s the price for the classic red and yellow taxis, then there are the black ones, these are more expensive. There is a queue for taxis just outside the airport exit. Nothing to worry about, they are not Prague taxi drivers, so they won’t take you on a detour or turn on the turbo. You can also use Uber here, but believe it or not, Dubai is one of the places in the world where regular taxis are even a little bit cheaper than Uber. Taxi travel is just completely normal here. Otherwise, there’s a bus from the airport that takes forever to get there, and of course there’s the semi-lowcost “taxi to metro” option.

Travel tips not only to Dubai